Bubble burster: ACT exams soon going digital

May 7, 2013
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A cover sheet for the ACT exam. / USA TODAY file

by Greg Toppo, USA TODAY

by Greg Toppo, USA TODAY

As early as spring 2015, ACT college admissions exams will be available digitally, the tests' provider said Monday, allowing students to see their results within minutes, not weeks, of clicking "submit" on a laptop, iPad or other digital device.

The results now typically take two weeks, and sometimes as much as four to six weeks.

Nearly 1.7 million students took the ACT last year. It was one of two dominant tests high school students take as part of their college applications. Roughly the same number took the rival SAT. Those exams are still administered with No. 2 pencil and paper.

Several states already use computers for statewide tests, and Iowa-based ACT works with 22 of them, from Alaska to Florida. But testing in Kentucky was suspended last week after ACT officials discovered glitches. Problems with other vendors forced Indiana, Minnesota and Oklahoma to delay their high-stakes testing.

That is partly why ACT is not rushing to start online offerings for the tests, which help determine whether applicants get into their chosen schools and what scholarships they receive.

ACT officials told the Associated Press that the traditional, 215-question fill-in-the-bubble tests still would be available for those who prefer the paper-and-pencil option.

"Access and comfort level of students will continue to be on the top of our mind," said Jon Erickson, president of ACT's education division. "We don't want to measure a student's computer skills or fears. The most important part will be measuring their learning in school and college readiness standards."

The new testing format - still two years away and optional even then - comes as 45 states and the District of Columbia align their classrooms with Common Core standards, which stress students' reasoning skills over rote memorization. The ACT, which is designed to test students' high school learning, naturally follows the shift in classroom instruction.

"Hopefully, this will be more relevant than just sitting down and taking a fill-in-the-bubble test," Erickson said. He acknowledged that several details have yet to be finalized, including whether students will be able to bring their own devices on test day. But he said the new tests will still have the familiar sections to measure students' English, math, reading and science understanding, as well as the optional writing section that some colleges require.

Founded in 1959, ACT originally stood for "American College Testing." In 1996, the official name of the organization was shortened to "ACT."